Inspired by the old Kellogg Canada plant, full of trends and toys for the future, grounded in today’s lifestyle, the Jefferson Industrial Dream Home makes it easy to envision enjoying life inside its light-filled space.

This is the first time Jefferson Homes has participated in the London hospitals’ fundraiser, and the company has two of the grand prizes across the street from each other. The second house is French Provincial, and will open to the public May 10.

“I wanted a feminine, soft home and a raw, edgy masculine home,” said designer Jillian Summers of Upstaging. “The French Provincial is a very traditional vibe.”

The third grand prize is the Nicholson Pinery Bluffs Dream Cottage in Grand Bend. Popular shiplap helps create a casual vibe where friends and family gather. Summers said the style is classic beach cottage.

She envisioned a family with school-age children living in the industrial home. “Someone who likes to ski and be outdoors.” The house backs on the Boler Mountain ski hill and features large windows and a wrap-around verandah to enjoy the view and outdoor living.

The industrial look is new to the dream homes lottery.

“The chance to showcase something unique – there is no better way than the dream home,” said Summers. “I come up with crazy ideas.”

“I have to have that nothing-is-impossible feeling,” said Phil Gonzalez, construction manager. “All the dream homes have a certain standard. We needed to raise the bar.”

Dream Home

The master bathroom features a large mirror and big-window views of the surrounding area.

A wall of glass allows a view from the master bedroom to the great room below, as well as an expansive exterior vista. WILLIAM CHAN

Brick walls warm up the kitchen and make the grey cabinets, wood island and quartz counters pop in contrast.
PHOTOS: WILLIAM CHAN

The great room of the Jefferson Industrial Dream Home includes the kitchen, dining area and living room with the master bedroom and reading nook up top. photos: WILLIAM CHAN

A rustic look is achieved by a towering insert of logs adjacent to the fireplace which has a hand-troweled Venetian finish.
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Nicholson Pinery Bluff Dream
Cottage, Grand Bend

The Jefferson Industrial Dream Home, 2162 Ironwood Rd., London

The look

Summers imagined a New York City loft with plenty of metal, wood and glass.

“The result is a warm, cozy feeling,” said Jeff Fung, project manager. “We did modern with more traditional.”

The mix of rough industrial and comfy traditional continues on each level.

“There is a lot of raw material in this house,” said Gonzalez.

Exposed steel handrails on a staircase with red oak treads and glass instead of balusters sums up the style.

“The second-level is wrapped in a metal ribbon,” said Gonzalez.

A wall of glass allows a view from the master bedroom to the great room below, as well as an expansive exterior vista.

“It gives a loft mezzanine feel,” said Fung.

A quiet nook lined with shelves also overlooks the main floor and the ski hill.

A hand-troweled Venetian finish on the fireplace in the great room adds dimension to reflected light. Beside it, a towering insert of logs gives a more rustic accent.

“The wood by the fireplace is art in itself. It’s a new trend that adds to the loft feel,” said Summers.

Barn doors are another hot item, and a custom one slides across to hide the ensuite in the master bedroom.

Most of the main level floors are 80-by-80 cm tiles, heated in the kitchen.

“You can walk in your heels everywhere,” said Summers.

Wood-grain tiles are laid in a herringbone pattern in the dining room. The same pattern is repeated in an upstairs shower with impeccable alignment.

Copper-like tiles line the master ensuite, changing colour during the day. Engineered hardwood and carpet are softer underfoot in the upstairs bedrooms.

“The small details are important,” said Gonzalez. “I wanted to show materials not used every day can come together and be really nice.”

Some of those details include a mix of iron and wood in a desk, tables, a wall of clocks, metal light pendants, metal china hutch. Black accent pieces further the sophisticated style.

In the two-piece bath, grasscloth wallcovering, a mirror to the ceiling and a wall-mounted faucet offer an elegant take on the signature style.

Ceiling heights contribute to a factory reno ambience: three metres on the main level, 2.7 m on the upper and lower levels.

The laundry room is located conveniently off the garage entry and has its own door to the deck. Pull-out drying racks make it easy to drip dry. Lockers hide all the “kids’ stuff.”

Two bedrooms feature corner floor-to-ceiling windows. “We asked for as many windows as possible,” said Fung. A tree-house bed in one bedroom feels like it’s perched in the sky.

The favourites

In the comments book, four faves stand out for visitors: the walk-in closet, golf simulator, brick wall and hanging bed.

The bed of rough wood is suspended by thick ropes. “In this room we wanted to do something no one else has done (in a dream home), hang a bed from the ceiling,” said Summers.

A walk-in pantry boasts a built-in coffee-maker, “storage galore” and a prep counter.

Two brick walls warm up the kitchen and make the grey cabinets, wood island and quartz counters pop in contrast.

A Nieman Market Design walk-in closet will organize and show off any fashionista’s collection. A centre island is surrounded by glass-fronted cabinets for easy see-and-select.

The lower level opens to a spacious media room, full bar with large counter overlooking a room with a golf simulator. “This is an entertainer’s dream,” said Summers. “It’s every golfer’s dream.”

“It’s one of the more advanced tracking systems in the industry,” said Fung, picking up a club and taking a few swings. “The ball hits the screen,” said Gonzalez. The Full Swing system measures aspects such as spin, club head angle. You can watch your ball sink into the hole, or not.

“Anything to perfect your game,” said Gonzalez.

An insulated floor ups the comfort of the entire lower level, which also includes a full bathroom and bedroom.

“Being so close to the ski hill, we wanted to open the house and bring in outside elements with wood,” said Fung. “The big windows let you see the elements. And the golf simulator brings in the summer. It’s a house for all seasons.”

“Be ready for something outside the box,” said Summers. “You may not like everything, but there is something for everyone.”

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